Chapter 1298 - 638: Quite Humane

Aside from its unique geographical location in the Frost Forest and customs that differ greatly from other regions, to a certain extent, Ice Tree Village isn’t much different from most remote settlements on this continent.

Lacking the abundant resources of a large city, it is equally impoverished and destitute.

But precisely because of this, the villagers, worried that the little they have would be seized by the brutal and fierce outsiders, almost gave their all to entertain these five passing adventurers.

The banquet was held at the village chief’s home, a wooden house that usually needs to fulfill multiple roles, such as residence and meeting place, now turned into a special inn for the adventurers.

A wooden table made from several thick planks, with uneven heights, was placed in the center of the room; on it lay a slightly worn but very clean coarse tablecloth, with steaming earthen pots and bowls arrayed on top.

Stews, cured meat, wild vegetable soup... each dish was filled to the brim, with generous portions.

Yet the dishes themselves were quite ordinary, limited by the village’s environment.

The only two dishes that looked somewhat decent, roasted chicken and rabbit stew, were caught by Xia Nan in the afternoon while he had some free time to help hunt in the nearby woods.

With the superb physical abilities of a professional, even without much hunting experience, catching some simple small game was a breeze.

In just a couple of hours, he brought back two baskets full of spoils.

Half of them were a type of wild bird that the villagers referred to in the local dialect as "Gurgle Chicken," with short legs, thick feathers, and solid meat, named for its distinctive "gurgle" sound;

The other half were Frost Rabbits, unique to the Frost Hill area, with exquisite meat and a snow-fleece-like fur that holds significant economic value, though they’re so alert that even the most seasoned hunters struggle to catch them, preventing the formation of a related local industry.

Xia Nan left all the rabbit pelts to the villagers, hoping it would compensate for the expenses of this banquet.

"Old man, your home’s wine is way too weak, like white water, not even a hint of a buzz after a cup!"

Half-orc Gangke sat by the dining table, a pile of plates already high in front of him.

Tilting his head back, he emptied the last drop from the bottle in his hand into his mouth, then casually tossed it to the ground, letting the earthenware shatter.

Wiping his mouth of the sticky, viscous spittle-mixed liquor, he spat words of dissatisfaction at the village chief on the opposite side.

The village chief naturally dared not retort, lowering his head and nodding repeatedly in cautious agreement, promising to buy good wine for entertaining future adventurers.

The tone seemed sincere, but in reality was undoubtedly empty words for appeasement.

However, the half-orc clearly didn’t catch on, and instead patted the other’s shoulder with satisfaction, boasting, "Don’t worry, hic... I’ll definitely clean up that Banshee near your village! And I don’t want any payment. Just... remember to prepare more food for me when I get back!"

"Lord Gangke, rest assured, our village will certainly have the supplies ready for you!" The village chief responded with a lowly flattering smile, bowing slightly.

Nearby, stout farmwives hurried to and fro with dishes, having been specifically instructed earlier. They moved with quick steps, their gazes withdrawn, only daring to sneak a glance at the adventurers seated at the table when tidying up the dishes.

Outside, faint sounds of children’s play and subsequent scolding from villagers could be heard.

Despite the adventurers’ arrival, although children in the village were strictly forbidden from going out, some couldn’t resist their strong curiosity and sneaked out to peer in from distant windows.

Uriah, Tree Creek, and Tal, together with Half-orc Gangke, sat by the dining table, enjoying the long-awaited lively banquet.

Xia Nan, not familiar with the group and not wanting to get involved, sat alone in a chair by the fireplace, savoring the wild game he hunted earlier.

It’s true, although the villagers didn’t use any seasoning in cooking, their skills were quite good, bringing out the unique flavors of the game grown in the Frost Forest in a pure and natural way.

It’s just that with so many eyes around, he didn’t want to expose the existence of the White Pot pocket watch, otherwise he’d definitely pair it with two bowls of cream of mushroom soup.

Meanwhile, he didn’t neglect his "Little Snowflake" companion.

While hunting alone in the afternoon, he had already fed Fanny with fresh meat and some game stored in the White Pot pocket watch.

The Winter Wolf now lay not far from Xia Nan by the door, its fluffy head resting on crossed front paws, breathing calm and deep, eyes closed as it napped.

"Creak..."

The door was gently pushed open from outside, and a cold breeze barely seeped in before being shut out by the quickly closed wooden door.

And now, there was an additional figure in the room.

Holding a plate with a stack of steaming wheat cakes, presumably a villager here to tidy or replenish the dishes.

But unlike the middle-aged farmwives who’d been coming and going at the table, the person now at the door was a teenage girl, about fifteen or sixteen years old.

Her frame was thin, but both her arms and legs were robust, a strength not possessed by noble ladies from the city, suggesting she’d been trained from a young age.